SEATTLE — Like so many restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mulleady's Irish Pub in Seattle's Magnolia neighborhood is struggling to survive. They used to have 19 employees. Now, they're down to nine.
"A typical Wednesday, our sales would be $3,500 to $4,000,” said Travis Stanley-Jones, owner of Mulleady's. “If we hit $1,500 today, I'll be thrilled.”
The money that now comes into the restaurant will need to be stretched to get them through this winter. That's why it meant so much to Stanley-Jones when a local winery served up an unexpected gift to Mulleady's and more than 40 other restaurants in the Seattle area and Walla Walla.
Sleight of Hand Cellars wanted to support the restaurant industry by off-loading 300 cases of 2019 "Restaurant Relief" wine, a 100% Syrah from Lewis Vineyards in Yakima Valley.
"Initially, the idea was we would give the wine away,” said Trey Busch, co-owner and winemaker at Sleight of Hand Cellars. “Unfortunately, that's illegal in Washington state to give away wine, give alcohol, so we had to sell it to [restaurants] at cost.”
Each bottle of wine would normally cost around $70, but the restaurants are getting it for a fraction of the cost.
They're now selling the wine by the glass or bottle and keeping the profits to help pay the bills or pay their employees.
"We weren't in the position to write a $250,000 check to everybody," said Busch. "We were in a position to peel some wine off and help them raise money the best way they saw fit."
For Mulleady's, the wine is a gift of almost $1,000.
"This is more financially beneficial than what the city or state's done for us," explained Stanley-Jones.
The success of the restaurant industry directly impacts Washington wineries. If restaurants can't keep the lights on, wineries will suffer too.
"We really want them all to make it out on the other side, so if this is that one little kick that can help them get over there, then we're happy to do it," said Busch.